Advertiser Disclosure
by Aidan Kang, CFA
Senior Writer
Make Money
UPDATED: October 27, 2022

If you're a gamer, you've probably heard of Buff.game. It sounds like a dream come true: a free app that will give you free gift cards, skin, in-game currencies, and even gaming hardware like keyboards and headphones just for playing.

Gaming is quite an entertaining hobby, but it can get expensive. So if it’s hurting your budget now, you’re probably looking for ways to fund your games. Buff.game sounds like a great answer.

But what's the catch? To answer that question, we looked into Buff's company background, independent review sites like TrustPilot, and read through testimonials and reviews on forums like Reddit.

We found an interesting mix of reviews. So if you don't want to miss the opportunity to earn rewards while playing your favorite online games, read on until the end to find out if you may be setting yourself up for a scam.

Summary
We've found Buff.Game to be a legitimate way to earn gift cards while you play. If you'd like to get started right away, be sure to take advantage of their promo to get 30 free coins when you start playing.

Read our full review to learn what you can expect when earning with Buff.

What is Buff? (company, business model, reviews)

Buff.game is a loyalty-program that awards you points for playing online desktop and mobile games like PUBG, Valorant, Fortnite, Apex Legends, and more.

Buff is an Israel-based company founded in 2018 by Elay De Beer (CEO), Ophir Sarapi, and Ophir Gertner.

According to Buff itself, the company makes money through ads, paid subscriptions (Buff Premium), and partnerships with game publishers.

You can redeem these points for gift cards and merchandise (like hats, shirts, and gaming peripherals) on the Buff Marketplace.

Here's an overview of their online presence:

Here's Buff.game's average user review rating across the web:

Finally, we gathered the most common positive and negative feedback from user reviews:

Positive Buff.game Reviews

  • Works for popular online games like Valorant, Mobile Legends, Call of Duty, etc.
  • The Buff app is available worldwide, not just in the US
  • No need to do much – just keep the app running in the background
  • Users report actually being able to redeem gift cards using their Buff points
  • Now available on Android and iPhone (only used to be available for Windows)

Negative Buff.game Reviews

  • It takes months to earn enough points for gift cards (even low-value ones)
  • Gift cards are often out of stock
  • Buff often fails to record game progress
  • Many players think that Premium Buff subscriptions defeat the purpose of the app
  • Complaints about the difficulty of uninstalling Buff
  • Most gift cards are only available in the US
  • Complaints of Buff slowing down computer hardware

Based on these reviews, it seems like Buff.game is legitimate, but a lot of players are unhappy with the rewards system. There are also some concerns about the app's performance and how it affects the player's PC, laptop, or phone.

Is Buff.game safe to use?

During our research, we came across several Reddit threads where posters were asking if Buff.game is safe or not.

The answers were mostly inconclusive, so we went straight to their official FAQ page to get information about the following:

What data does Buff take from players?

According to the site, the only data Buff takes is your in-game username, email address, and password (for logging into games). They also track your game progress and stats.

Does Buff steal sensitive personal data?

Based on the information above, no. Buff doesn’t appear to steal any sensitive personal or financial information from its users.

Can Buff damage my phone or computer?

It shouldn't damage your phone or computer because all you need to do is download the app and then keep it running in the background while you play your game.

Does Buff.game have malware or viruses?

Again according to their website, Buff is malware-free and virus-free.

Does Buff.game slow down PCs or affect their resources?

Buff says that the app is designed to consume as little battery and resources as possible. Still, some users have complained that it does slow down their system.

Does Buff mine crypto on gamers' PCs?

This one's a little complicated. While Buff doesn't currently mine crypto, they were previously planning to launch a blockchain-based project. This would have allowed players to use a cryptocurrency called BUFF coin to redeem in-game rewards.

As of 2018, however, Buff has ceased this plan and hasn't launched another blockchain project or ICO to date.

How does Buff game work?

As we mentioned earlier, Buff is a game tracker that runs in the background while you play. It tracks your game progress and stats and then rewards you with points that you can redeem for real-world prizes.

In other words, you get paid to play your favorite online video games with Buff.

How to earn Buff points

Aside from keeping the app running while you play, you also need to play specific match types that Buff sports for each game. Here are some examples:

  • TeamFight Tactics players can only earn Buff points when playing 5v5 Draft Pick games, 5×5 Ranked Solo games, 5v5 Blind Pick games, & 5v5 Ranked Flex games.
  • If you play CS:GO, Buff will record all mods as long as there are no bots.
  • For Fortnite, only PVP modes will be tracked.

You can check their FAQ page under “Which Games Does Buff Support?” for more information on which games and match types you can play to earn points.

Buff-supported games:

Buff supports more desktop games than mobile games, but they're continuously working on adding more titles.

As of now, here are some of the games that you can play to earn Buff points.

Desktop Games

  • CS:GO
  • League of Legends
  • Dota 2
  • Fortnite
  • Minecraft
  • PUBG

Mobile Games

  • Brawl Stars
  • Clash Royale
  • Clash of Clans

You can check the complete list of games here. 

Buff.game registration:

Download Buff on Windows (for desktop games) and the App Store or Google Play (for mobile games).

Note that Buff's Windows application will download automatically when you click it on the site.

After downloading the Buff app, you'll have to:

  • Create a Buff account.
  • Sync your Buff account with your game account(s). You can do this by going to the “Account” section on Buff and selecting the “Games” tab.
  • Make sure Overwolf is set to “Overlay.” This will allow the Buff app to appear while you're playing.

And that's it! You can start tracking your game progress and earning points.

Buff gaming reward selection

The Buff Marketplace has an extensive gift card selection to choose from. You can redeem your points for cards to major retailers like Amazon, Dominos, and Starbucks, as well as gaming-related stores like Gamestop, Playstation, Steam, and Xbox.

Here are some actual examples from the Buff Marketplace:

  • Amazon $5 Gift Card
  • Resident Evil 5 Steam CD Key
  • Green Hell Steam CD Key
  • $10 Playstation Gift Card
  • Outlast 2 Steam CD Key
  • $10 XBox Gift Card

Next to each gift card is the country availability and the number of points required to redeem it. 

For example, a $10 Riot Access code is only available in the US, while Amazon $5 gift card is redeemable worldwide.

You can also use your Buff points to enter sweepstakes and giveaways or donate to charity.

And yes, you can also cash out your Buff points. To do this, you need a verified PayPal account, which you'll then link to your Buff account.

From then, it's just a matter of redeeming your points for cash, which will then be sent to your PayPal account.

Do note that PayPal fees apply, so what you get in your account may be less than the total number of points you redeemed.

Buff premium: paid subscription to Buff.game

If you want to accumulate Buff points faster, you can subscribe to Buff Premium for $2.99 monthly. For that price, you get:

  • A bonus 50% on your earnings
  • Free 50 points every month
  • Exclusive marketplace items and special marketplace discounts
  • Premium-only special promotions
  • An exclusive Discord channel
  • Exclusive raffles for Premium members

While Buff Premium is not necessary to use Buff.game, it can speed up your points-earning pace.

However, some players complain about the fairness of having a premium subscription. They claim that it defeats the purpose of trying to win games and matches, as those who pay for a subscription get more points even if they're not skilled players.

If you're not interested in paying for a subscription, then don't worry—you can still use Buff without one.

Other sites and apps like Buff.game

Aside from Buff, other apps will also reward you for playing games, such as:

Some of these apps, like Swagbucks, go beyond just games and also offer other tasks like watching videos and taking surveys. 

Others, like Bananatic, focus exclusively on games and offer rewards in the form of game keys and items.

Verdict: Is Buff game worth it?

It depends. On one hand, it seems to be a legit app that gives gamers points for playing. However, it can take months just to redeem $5 to $10 worth of gift cards, and even then, many rewards are usually out of stock.

In addition, users also mention some negative effects of Buff on their hardware, so there's that to consider as well.

If you're not comfortable with an app that could potentially damage your computer or if you're not patient enough to wait for rewards, then Buff.game might not be for you.

But if you're willing to take the risk and you're okay with waiting for rewards, then go ahead and give it a try. You might just find that it's a fun way to earn a little extra cash while enjoying the games you love.

Ready start earning while you play?
Head on over to Buff.Game to register for an account and get 30 free coins before you try out their rewards program for yourself. If you've got a solid processor on your mobile or desktop, you'll be all set to start earning some sweet gift cards.

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